Real world accident research – Real world results
Many of you know this bit of Volvo history but please bear with me on this refresh. Since 1972, Volvo in Sweden has investigated real world accidents that happen within about an hour’s drive of our Torslanda HQ. A team of researchers head to a site, take measurements, interview people and sometimes take the car into our crash center for further analysis. Right now, we have over 40,000 accidents in our real world accidents database.
What we have done and continue to do, is look for ways to help improve occupant protection. These days, it’s more about avoidance than protection. But for our database going forward there is no way to interview someone who didn’t have an accident because City Safety did it’s job. If an XC60 driver doesn’t stop and City Safety takes over, how can we measure that occurrence? We can’t, but the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) can and just did. Below is our press release about how City Safety is saving money and lives. You can read their release at: http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr071911.html
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2011-07-18-self-braking-cars_n.htm
Good video news report at http://www.autonews.com/article/20110719/VIDEO/307199926/1439
Good Morning America. Self-Braking Cars Get Green Light http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/braking-cars-green-light-14104791?tab=9482930§ion=1206852&playlist=14103762
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/volvo-crash-prevention-system-receives-high-marks-from-insurance-institute/
City Safety is another stepping stone to reaching Vision 2020 goal: No deaths or serious injuries in a Volvo by year 2020.
dan
—
Insurance Claim Analysis: Volvo City Safety System Prevents Collisions
Highway Loss Data Institute Finds Volvo XC60 Gets Into Fewer Crashes
ROCKLEIGH, N.J. (July 19, 2011) – A newly published analysis from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates that Volvo XC60s get into fewer low-speed crashes than comparable vehicles thanks to Volvo’s City Safety technology, a standard feature on all XC60s.
HLDI examined claim frequency under property damage liability, bodily injury liability and collisions. Their data concluded frequency rates for the XC60 were lower than all other midsize luxury SUVs, specifically:
- Claims under property damage liability coverage were filed 27 percent less often for the XC60 than other midsize luxury SUVs.
- Claim frequencies for injuries for the XC60 were filed about half as often compared to other midsize luxury SUVs.
- Collision claim frequencies for the XC60 were 22 percent lower than all other midsize luxury SUVs.
“This is our first real-world look at an advanced crash avoidance technology, and the findings are encouraging,” said Adrian Lund, president of HLDI and IIHS. “City Safety is helping XC60 drivers avoid the kinds of front-to-rear low speed crashes that frequently happen on congested roads.”
IIHS last year estimated that current crash avoidance features have the potential to prevent or mitigate as many as 1.9 million crashes each year, and current users have stated the systems help them to be safer drivers.
“It is great to see validation from HLDI and IIHS of the safety systems that we at Volvo are continually developing,” said Thomas Broberg, Volvo Car Corp.’s senior safety expert. ”This is another step towards achieving our Vision 2020 of eliminating serious injuries and fatalities by the year 2020, and an even larger step towards a crash-free future.”
HLDI also looked at how the crash reductions for the XC60 affected overall insurance costs:
- Overall payouts under property damage liability for XC60s were 20 percent lower than losses for all other midsize luxury SUVs.
- Estimated overall collision losses for the XC60 were 31 percent lower than all other midsize luxury SUVs.
“The lower claim frequencies found by HLDI prove that City Safety is preventing crashes and thus reducing insurance costs,” said John Maloney, VCNA’s vice president of marketing and product planning. ”There’s an opportunity here for insurance companies to begin offering a discount on vehicles equipped with City Safety or similar crash-avoidance technologies.”
HLDI analysts compared insurance claims data for the 2010 model XC60 with two control groups: other 2009-10 midsize luxury SUVs and other 2009-10 Volvo models. The analysis controlled for a variety of geographic and demographic factors that can affect claims. Geographic factors include garaging state and vehicle density (the number of registered vehicles per square mile). Demographic factors take into account such things as the primary driver’s age, gender and marital status. Other factors include calendar year plus the policy deductible.
HLDI defines the three types of auto insurance coverage as follows: property damage liability pays for damage an at-fault vehicle does to another’s property as the result of a crash. Bodily injury liability generally pays for injuries to people involved in the crash other than the insured at-fault driver. Collision pays for damage to the insured vehicle.
City Safety keeps a watch on vehicles in front with the help of a laser sensor built into the windscreen at the height of the rearview mirror. Between 2-19 mph, the car automatically brakes if the driver does not respond in time when the car in front slows down or stops – or if the driver is driving too fast towards a stationary object. If the relative speed difference between the two vehicles is less than 9 mph, the collision can be entirely avoided. If the speed difference is between 9-19 mph, the speed at impact is reduced by about one half, thereby mitigating the collision. City Safety also is also standard on the 2011 and 2012 S60, 2012 S80 and 2012 XC70.
In addition to City Safety, the XC60 is available with Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake as part of its optional Technology Package. Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake uses forward-looking radar and digital camera identification that scans an object and matches its shape against an image database of about 10,000 forms. The system can track up to 64 pedestrians and their paths – all within 50 milliseconds.
If a pedestrian walks into the car’s path and an impact is imminent, a warning light and tone warn the driver. If the driver does not react, the car will apply up to 100 percent available braking force, thereby avoiding a collision if the car is traveling 19 mph or less. At 20 mph and higher, the available breaking force will significantly mitigate the collision.
In the effort to continually be the industry leader in safety, Volvo is working on plans for the next generation of active safety detection which features animal detection. The system, much like today’s pedestrian detection, will feature a radar sensor and infrared camera – and it will function in the dark when the likelihood of hitting an animal increases. The system must be complex in order to recognize a variety of animals in differing sizes – from dogs to moose. According to IIHS, from 1993-2007, 2,499 people died in collisions involving wild animals and the number of collisions continues to increase.
Additional Information
IIHS: http://www.iihs.org/
XC60 City Safety: https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/enhanced/en-us/Media/Preview.aspx?mediaid=18521
XC60 Safety Systems: https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/enhanced/en-us/Media/Preview.aspx?mediaid=18524
Vision 2020: https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/enhanced/en-us/Media/Preview.aspx?mediaid=30670
###
About Volvo
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (www.volvocars.com/us) is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Corporation of Gothenburg, Sweden. VCNA provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States, and oversees Volvo operations in Canada. For more information please refer to the VCNA media website at: http://www.volvocars-pr.com, and follow Volvo’s blog at: www.volvoblog.us.
Contact:
Dan Johnston or Laura DiStefano
Volvo Cars of North America
800-977-0888
Posted in City Safety, pedestrian safety, safety, Sweden, XC60 | 5 Comments »Real world test of City Safety
I know Bill, and he’s far from an “inept driver” as one commenter alludes to regarding this “2011 Volvo S60: A drivers car that makes better drivers” Boston.com article. Stuff happens, and in this case we saved all the hassles associated with a minor accident.
Here is Clifford’s counterpoint to Bill’s piece.
To an extent, Clifford is correct: electronic systems are not perfect. But if we get it right 90% of the time – heck, even 50% of the time – isn’t it worth using technology that might save a life? Could we have waited couple more years to get an absolutely 100% perfect system? Sure, but what about those that we could have saved? Tough call for any company to make. I think we made the right decision. What Clifford missed is that City Safety and Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Braking can be switched Off, with default On when car first started by driver. Clifford mentioned that the system could not detect our dummy during testing. Well, the system actually worked, it did not detect a human. There are vast differences between a dummy stuffed with foam and human stuffed with carbon and water.
dan
Posted in City Safety, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, safety | 2 Comments »Our first Open House since 1998 (I stand corrected since 2000)
Amazing how the years just blow by. Friends who work here now have sons and daughters working here, new cars have been launched, people change positions. So many things are different. But not our Open House.
Around nine months ago, Doug Speck, our CEO, told us it’s time to do one again. Working with Volvo Sports America (VSA) and Volvo Club of America (VCOA), we had one heck of a successful event. In all, about 370 club members showed up, putting 774 miles on our demo cars, testing City Safety with our XC60, trying Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake (still haven’t gotten used to all those words) with our S60, drooling over our classic car collection, and having lunch served by VCNA employees.
Beside these loyal owners, what makes me proud are the 70 employees who gave up a Saturday to staff and support what needed to get done.
Owners who love their Volvos, employees who love their work. Nice combination.
Have a great weekend,
Dan
Update: 10/30/2010.
Seems Dave is onto something. He wrote that unless his eyes are playing tricks, he has a dash plaque with “REVOLVOLUTION”, “Open House 10th Anniversary”, “October 28th 2000″, “Rockleigh, NJ” and “Volvo for life”. Revolvolution was about launching our S60 back in 2000. Seems absolutely no one here remembered that event. And to think we launched our new S60 with this Open House. Someone is looking over our shoulders. Thanks Dave!
Parking crew at 6:45 a.m.
Brett and wife Carrie Ann from Colorado and Gretchen Adam (VCOA).
Staffers between Volvo C70 and P1900 (number 34).
R-Sport jackets.
Doug Speck addresses early morning group.
Briefings on product planning, overseas delivery and VDIS service tool.
Lunch prep by VCNA staffers.
Lunch time!
Raffle winner takes home a C70 (of course!).
Volvo.
Best Review of Pedestrian Safety I’ve Seen
Very good description and demonstration by our Naughty Tour host.
Good holiday weekend to all our friends in the US. The rest of you…well it’s just two days to Monday. 
dan
Posted in City Safety, design, distracted driving, news, pedestrian safety, S60, safety | Comments OffThe ‘Naughty Volvo Tour’ Coming to a City Near You
An S60 hello to you all.
Last year we took XC60 on tour. Our goal was to show something completely different in two ways: design and safety. No other Volvo ever looked as good, (okay, I think the first C70 Coupe was stunning, especially in Saffron color), but the XC60 was really the first showing of our new design evolution. We also needed to demonstrate how City Safety – a world first in safety – worked.
Think about it: We go through life driving a couple of million miles and never test safety … hopefully not. Then along comes a car that begs to be tested, but doing it with your own XC60, well, that’s not going to work. So we went on the road to let folks try City Safety. In the end, about 3,941 out of 6,311 (knowing Bill Buchka, Mgr. Brand and Launch Communications, asking for an approximate number will get me exact numbers – Swedes don’t do ‘approximate’) tested City Safety.
The car is stunning; it has performance and handling akin to our last generation S60 R car, and features Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Braking. So rather than hunting real pedestrians, we’re doing real, live, come on down and try it, demonstrations – again with Bill Buchka at the helm.
Here are some details:
We just announced the start of our upcoming Naughty Volvo Tour to launch the All-New 2011 Volvo S60. The Naughty Volvo Tour, which will stop at around 150 Volvo retailers across the U.S. and in Canada, kicked off on July 6 in Cranston, R.I., Tulsa, Okla. and Tucson, Ariz., and will conclude in the fall.
“The 2011 Volvo S60 is really going to make an impression in the midsize sedan segment,” said Doug Speck, VCNA president and CEO. “Not only is it the most dynamic Volvo we’ve ever produced, but it also introduces the world-first Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake technology, which will automatically stop the car if it senses an impending collision with a pedestrian. We’re excited to show the S60 to consumers so they can judge for themselves.”
Touted “the sportiest Volvo ever,” the All-New Volvo S60 is equipped with a turbocharged T6 engine, which puts out 300 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque, and comes standard with all-wheel-drive. Its breathtaking new design captures the imagination and sets the heart racing like no other Volvo sedan, with the C-pillar stretching sensually all the way to the taillights – giving the impression of a 4-door coupe.
The All-New Volvo S60 is also available with Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake, a groundbreaking technological solution that actively helps the driver avoid accidents. Volvo’s radar- and camera-based system can detect pedestrians in front of the car, warn the driver if someone walks out into its path, and then automatically activate the S60′s full braking power if the driver fails to respond in time.
The Naughty Volvo Tour is a series of retailer-hosted experiential events, which allow attendees to preview the All-New Volvo S60 before it goes on sale. Utilizing multimedia interactive displays to emphasize the car’s design, performance and safety attributes will heighten the sensory experience. Demonstrations of the Pedestrian Detection system in action will also be available.
For a full tour schedule and to register to attend a retailer tour event, please visit http://naughty.volvocars.us/. Here, saved you some mouse work http://www.volvocars.com/us/all-cars/volvo-s60/Pages/default.aspx?s60tourhub
Come on down, try and hit a dummy, you just might save a real life someday.
dan
Posted in C70, City Safety, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, S60, safety, XC60 | 2 Comments »Word Smithing 101
When Toyota announced their Star Safety System, we started to scratch our heads like, “Gosh, what makes that so special?” I put together lists of what Volvo had, when we had it, when it was fitted, to what models, if there were any markets we didn’t have something fitted … and it became overwhelming.
So I called Toyota’s customer service line to have them explain exactly what systems were installed and when. Seems that starting model year 2011 they will have things fitted across their model line, but not all cars right now. Interesting.
Trying to get that list going again, I asked Bruno in Regulations and Compliance if he could help. So he started his own list. About one week later, I learned that Mike in Product Planning was putting a list together, too. As easy as it seemed, it was impossible to pin it all down. We know in the last four to five years we already have everything that Toyota’s Star Safety System has, and in one form or another those systems have been in our cars for many years.
Much like we do today, our most advanced systems – like City Safety and the upcoming Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake – need progressively higher levels of electronics than prior generations. In fact, the XC60 has City Safety, yet it can not initially be fitted with Pedestrian Detection since its electronics are like version 9.00.01.01 and the S60 is 9.00.01.02 (made up numbers, but you get the idea).
So here’s what NY Times Blogger Dexter Ford said about Star Safety System:
“Toyota is the first full-line manufacturer to make the Star Safety System standard on all vehicles.”
Not certain what a “full-line” means. I guess if that means pick-up trucks, okay, you got us.
“Toyota Motor Sales is not aware of any Toyota patents on the five safety technologies, but we were innovative in combining these systems economically in non-luxury vehicles … ” states their advertising manager.
I wonder what luxury means? Guess that’s us. They never considered Volvo luxury in prior years. It’s good to know we’re now considered an upscale competitor to them, but we’re excluded from their definition of a car company that offers safety.
You know, safety isn’t a surface condition, it’s not something that is touted one year and dismissed the next. It is a constant target for improving quality of life for people in and around cars. Safety is not a marketing slogan, it’s not even a DNA issue. It’s more like an unseen bit of our Swedish soul. We’re very pleased that Toyota is finally adding safety to their cars that we have had in ours for years. Welcome to the party!
Dan
Posted in City Safety, customer care, distracted driving, news, pedestrian safety, Quality of Life, S60, safety, XC60, XC60 General | Comments OffWhat does the History Channel, a Spy Car, and soon to be crushed XC60 have in common?
A lot!
About four months ago the History Channel’s newest series, Sliced, called and wanted to get a seat belt and air bag to cut open. Told them we’ll give them a whole car and it seems we caught them completely off guard. We gave them an XC60 that was heading to US Customs certified crusher. It was one of our demo cars we used around the US for retailers to show City Safety. Oh and we are doing the same with Pedestrian Safety this summer with our new S60, but more on that later.
I’m not a total fan of TV (my kids often remind me of the two years they did w/o it….long time ago) BUT this Thursday on HC’s Sliced you and I will finally get to see what they did to our XC60. As they say on TV “check for local time and channel.”
Upcoming Episodes – Spy Car, Thursday, May 20, 10/9c
http://www.history.com/shows/sliced
Good week to you all,
dan
Posted in City Safety, news, XC60 | 2 Comments »Our future is about Prevention
Some cool news about XC60 via the below press release.
dan
—
Volvo Cars’ active safety system German ADAC test winner
The largest automotive organization in the world, German ADAC, has carried out an extensive comparison test of different automatic speed and distance control systems. Volvo XC60 clearly won the test in which six different models were compared.
“ADAC has carried out a total judgment which included the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) as well as the Distance Alert and City Safety. As far as I know this is the first time a test evaluates the total effect of those safety enhancing functions,” says Jonas Ekmark, Active Safety Hub Leader at Volvo Cars.
In the report of the ADAC test is said: “the Volvo system scores above all due to the fact that it consistently puts its emphasis on accident avoidance. The driver is informed about a danger by a red flashing warning lamp, which is projected onto the windscreen. At low speeds, below 30 km/h, the additional, integrated laser technology called City Safety also recognizes stationary vehicles and in a potential accident situation, brakes in time to stop the car.”
“Our promise – best possible safety”
“It feels good that ADAC pays attention to that we have a system that consistently avoids accidents. That is our promise to the customer; to offer the best possible safety”, says Jonas Ekmark.
The exceptional position of City Safety is underlined by the fact that this system is not only unique in the whole world, but it is also in mass production in the current Volvo XC60.
ADAC underlines another characteristic of the Volvo active speed and distance control system: “even with the ACC switched off, the driver is efficiently, but not disturbingly warned, if below the safety distance.
ACC in all-new S60 – plus a world first function
The active speed and distance monitoring system is currently available for the Volvo XC60, Volvo XC70, Volvo V70 and Volvo S80. It will also be offered in the all-new Volvo S60, which will celebrate its world premiere at the beginning of March at the Geneva Motor Show.
On top of the ACC system, the all-new S60 has a world-first function; Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake – a system that brakes automatically for pedestrians and can avoid a collision at speeds up to 35 km/h. The all-new S60 includes City Safety, as the XC60, as a standard feature.
The other cars in the ADAC comparison test were Audi A4, Volkswagen Passat CC, Honda Accord, Lexus IS and Ford Mondeo.
ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) is the world’s largest automotive association with some 16 million members.
Posted in City Safety, S60 | 1 Comment »How about a contest?
Safety is difficult to demonstrate. BMW’s motor and exhaust sound great when you turn the key. Mercedes’ doors clunk like a bank vault. But, Volvo safety is well hidden, just waiting for that one miserable day in our life. XC60 has been different in that you can test drive our City Safety system at any Volvo retailer. But other than that, our safety is buried deep into sheet metal and electronics.
However, this photo shows an interesting safety feature you would never notice. I found it while talking with Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Engineer, Volvo Car Corporation – Sweden at our XC60 launch this past February.
This bracket is inside the passenger doorframe, facing forward. It is used in: XC60, XC70, V70, S80, C30, V50, S40 and a slightly different version on C70. What is its function?
Of course, like any good contest, there is a prize, and here is the story behind it: we (wife/dog/I) moved into another house some years ago. When we were packing up umpteen years of Volvo jackets, t-shirts, sweaters, even some earmuffs, I found this T-shirt. We did this in PR when we launched S40 and V40 in 1999. We created our own logo “Sweden Rules”, thanks to our resident creative genius Soren Johansson. This is the last and only shirt that exists that is brand new. Amazingly, I never wore this shirt, meaning there is no food, paint, wine, grease, or dirt on it. I just washed it today to get 10 years of dust off it. Only one size: XL.
Send your answer to: djohn116@volvocars.com
Another disclaimer: This has absolutely no value. If more than one correct answer is submitted, I’ll write your name on some sort of scrap paper, throw it into an old Viking helmet and have someone unlucky enough to stumble by my office in seven days draw out the winning name. No Volvo employees, that in includes you, Ragnar Crona (who helped me with this – thanks), and Thomas Broberg who knows everything.
Posted in City Safety, General | 2 Comments »VCOA meets VAPG
It’s always nice to meet folks who are as passionate about the Volvo brand as we are. A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend my first Volvo Club of America (VCOA) owners meeting at our super-secret test facility located outside Phoenix, Arizona. Actually, I’ll let the secret out of the bag. Internally we call it APG, for Arizona Proving Grounds, and it’s located in Wittmann, just off Happy Valley Road, about 40 miles outside of Phoenix.
Fences topped with razor wire surround it and security is as tight as a Swedish bank. There are cameras and patrolmen monitor the fence line 24/7. The property is located directly under a military no-fly zone, so even spy photographers with access to a Cessna can’t get within several miles of the facility.
But for one great day (with months of pleading ahead of time), APG was opened to the VCOA. Sure, it wasn’t carte blanche accessibility, but it wasn’t bad. The engineers hid all the really cool stuff under tarps and inside locked garages, but visitors still got to wander around and even take a tour of the several test tracks. Local retailers brought all the new iron and the VCOA members brought the old stuff. I took a few shots while I was there and some highlights were a few excellent examples of P1800s, a hot-to-trot 850 T5-R and a couple of sweet C30s. A real crowd pleaser was the 2007 ipd SEMA C30 with unique gull-wing doors, nitrous injection and wild Swedish-flag-inspired paint. When I let it be known the car was set for crushing in the next couple months (we have to do this because it’s a Euro spec car that can’t be sold here) there were actual tears from a few of the onlookers.
The cars weren’t the only part of the day that was impressive: the local Peoria fire department brought their newest cutting tools and went about cutting a V50 to shreds in a matter of moments. Despite this, our cars are tough. A firefighter explained to me that a year ago they broke a Jaws of Life tool while trying to hack through the B-pillar of an S80. Another big hit was the live XC60 City Safety demonstration. At one point there were more than 50 folks lined up to get a crack at running into a giant inflatable car or some pylons. Regular readers of this blog know this is impossible. Still, it’s always fun to watch the expressions on the unwitting driver’s face when the XC60 hits the brakes hard.
I would encourage any Volvo owner to join the VCOA. It’s a nationwide organization that’s full of Volvo freaks who are true enthusiasts.
– James Hope, Product Communications Manager, VCNA
ipd C30 Video
Nice P1800
City Safety Demo
Fire department getting ready to rip into a V50
Fire department extraction demonstration
